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Playlists: songs about social generations

August 13, 2025 Peter Kimpton

A classic from Cole Porter looking at the new generation of his day. See if the pattern repeats below …

From the old Lost to the new lost, Baby Boomers to X, Z, Millennials to Alphas, patterns repeat as one generation looks at the past and future, all captured here superbly spanning selection by guest Severin, picked from last week’s topic

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, easy listening, electronica, exotica, experimental, folk, funk, hip hop, gospel, indie, instrumentals, jazz, krautrock, lounge, metal, music, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, reggae, RnB, rock, rocksteady, samba, ska, showtime, songs, soul Tags songs, playlists, generations, society, Desmond Dekker, Portugal. The Man, Raye, Tokyo Jihen, The Who, CMAT, Roots Manuva, Sandi Thom, Arlo Parks, The Indelicates, Cole Porter, Bloodhound Gang, Weyes Blood, Augustus Pablo, Junior Byles, Johnny Cash, Ichiro & Yuka, The Cowsills, The Beach Boys, Rare Earth, Glenn Miller, Bellamy Brothers, Limp Bizkit, Beastie Boys, The Beastie Boys, Sweet Honey In the Rock, Billy Joel, All About Eve, Manic Street Preachers, ANNISOKAY, Expo's Jazz and Joy, Suede, The 5th Dimension, Archie Roach, Caspian, Neneh Cherry, Fatal Microbes, severin, Severin, Vince Giordano and The Nighthawks
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Playlists: songs about decluttering, reducing, purging and tidying

March 18, 2025 Peter Kimpton

Neat neat neat …

Spring cleaning season is in full swing - tidying, cleaning or paring back, from belongings to unwanted relationships, guest of the week Severin clears the bar with some very neat work inspired by last week’s topic

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In blues, calypso, classical, comedy, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, easy listening, electronica, exotica, experimental, folk, funk, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, lounge, metal, music, musical hall, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional, trip hop Tags decluttering, tidying, reducing, purging, Biteback, Mitski, Joss Stone, Sparks, Youssou N'Dour, Carmen McRae, Tapper Zukie, The Average White Band, The Beatles, The Wombles, Furry Lewis, Eminem, Joanna Newsom, The Spaniels, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, Billie Holiday, Teenage Fanclub, Peggy Lee, Maxine Nightingale, Half Man Half Biscuit, Sammy Kershaw, Gala, Nina Simone, The Go-Betweens, Deco*27, Hatsune Miku, Jane Jarvis, Tindersticks, Neil Young, Femi Kuti, Abbey Lincoln, Vivian Stanshall, severin, Severin
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Playlists: puzzling and mysterious songs

November 13, 2024 Peter Kimpton

Captain Beefheart … of course

Prepare for a journey into the unknown and deeply strange. Whether in lyrics or musical sound or structure, guest playlister severin leads us through canticular caverns of wonder, inspired by last week’s topic

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In avant-garde, blues, classical, comedy, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, electronica, exotica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, krautrock, lounge, metal, music, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional, trip hop Tags songs, playlists, Future of the Left, Gong, Nora Dean, Slapp Happy, Syd Barrett, Sarah Vaughan, Captain Beefheart, Miles Davis, Adam Green, Futureheads, Ane Brun, John Jacob Niles, Amelia Coburn, Brian Eno, Tim Buckley, Tangerine Dream, Elvis Costello, The Grateful Dead, Sinead O'Connor, Maurice Ravel, The Lovin' Spoonful, The New York Dolls, Peter Hammill, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Siouxsie Sioux, Agnes Obel, Talking Heads, Roxy Music, The Fall, Edward Elgar, Shonen Knife, 17 Hippies, Toyah, Roy Orbison, Radiohead, Nina Simone, Massive Attack, Anais Mitchell, Jefferson Hamer, VNV Nation, John Zorn, Nik Bärtsch's Ronin, Joan Armatrading, Kevin Coyne, Anita Baker, severin, Severin
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Playlists: songs about or featuring national anthems

July 31, 2024 Peter Kimpton

Music in the air …

Take a world trip from standup straight to unusual traditionals, or distorted version radicals, alternative interpretations to parodies, as well as new lyrical angles, guest Severin creates a truly global selection from last week’s Olympic-inspired topic

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In African, calypso, classical, comedy, country, dance, easy listening, exotica, experimental, folk, gospel, indie, instrumentals, jazz, krautrock, metal, music, musicals, playlists, pop, prog, postpunk, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags national anthems, playlists, songs, Jimi Hendrix, Kou Kakinohara, Richie Stephens, Jean Jacques Burnel, Beethoven, Tom Waits, Serge Gainsbourg, Laibach, The Rankin Family, George Fenton, Radiohead, Johnny Griffin Quartet, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Neil Young, Tanzania, Africa, Hawaii, Arrogant Worms, Marvin Gaye, Kiyoshiro Imawano, Gabry Ponte, Julia & Ayla Rodriguez, Juliette Greco, Мен, The Grateful Dead, Roy Ayers, Franz Liszt, Able Tasmans, Bro Gozh ma Zadou, Nitin Sawhney, The Voices of St Paul, Randy Newman, Richard Thompson, The Seekers, Nico, June Tabor, severin, Severin
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Playlists: songs with conditional phrases

January 10, 2024 Peter Kimpton

The Big If …

Where will it all lead? What are the conditions? Are they zero, first or second? All the ifs and thens are revealed in these wittily entertaining lists compiled by guest Severin, inspired by songs nominated in last week’s opening topic of 2024

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, comedy, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, electronica, folk, experimental, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, krautrock, metal, music, musical hall, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags The Darling Buds, Barrington Levy, Janis Joplin, Fairport Convention, Lucinda Williams, Massive Attack, Roxy Music, Samara Joy, Ray LaMontagne, Kurtis Blow, ODESZA, The Staple Singers, David Holmes, Raven Violet, Spiritualized, Noel Gallagher, Badfinger, The Beatles, Captain Beefheart, Phoebe Bridgers, Tracy Chapman, Stephen Stills, Charlie Poole, Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators, George Harrison, Beverley Knight, Mica Paris, Leonard Cohen, AC/DC, Elvis Presley, Ian Dury & The Blockheads, Ian Dury, Basement Jaxx, Yola, severin, Severin
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Playlists: songs about prayers and praying

October 3, 2023 Peter Kimpton

Ladysmith Black Mambazo

From Africa to Jamaica, punk, to soul to jazz and church choirs, the act of prayer in song covers many styles and gods, and sometimes isn’t even about religion. Guest playlister Severin picks a heavenly selection from last week’s theme

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, krautrock, metal, music, musical hall, musicals, playlists, pop, prog, psychedelia, reggae, rock, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional, punk, postpunk Tags songs, playlists, prayer, praying, religion, The Soul Stirrers, Hedningarna, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Otis Redding, Moddi, The Mighty Diamonds, Sandra Carrasco, The Staple Singers, The Weather Prophets, Jay Tees, John Taverner, The O'Jays, Madonna, Souad Massi, John Coltrane, Leonard Cohen, JS Bach, Maria Callas, Mahalia Jackson, Dionne Warwick, Velvet Underground, Ray Charles, Tess Parks, Michael Rose, Kokia, Sweet Honey In the Rock, Charles Mingus, David Bowie, Teardrops, Mammut, Joni Mitchell, severin, Severin, John Tavener
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Playlists: songs about butterflies and moths

March 15, 2023 Peter Kimpton

This week’s topic attracted a rainbow range of music and lyrics

Multi-coloured and international, from caterpillars to these winged insects in their full glory and the beauty, tragedy and majesty that they represent, all are captured in beautiful playlists gathered by guest Severin from last week’s topic

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, country, comedy, dance, disco, drone, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, jazz, instrumentals, music, musical hall, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, rock, reggae, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, butterflies, moths, insects, Leyanis Lopez, Screaming Trees, Sarah Vaughan, Hal Mooney, Cocteau Twins, Fiona Burnett, Deniece Williams, The Verve, Dolly Parton, Tio, Free Design, The Cure, Terry Callier, Talvin Singh, Wagakki Band, Sandrine Piau, George Brassens, Charlie Gracie, Za Pinattsu / The Peanuts, The Cinnamon Ship, Pink Martini, Hitsujibungaku, Lole y Manuel, Mercury Rev, Aimee Mann, Gal Costa, Chaka Kahn, Mallrat, Procol Harum, Giacomo Puccini, Ying Huang, Lana Del Rey, Caroline Polachek, Audioslave, Blonde Redhead, The Incredible String Band, Lucinda Williams, Great Lake Swimmers, Kevin Ayers, Richard Thompson, severin, Severin
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Playlists: songs about the colour pink

November 30, 2022 Peter Kimpton

Yes, b’Lady: FAB 1 - Lady Penelope pink Rolls Royce inspired by Thunderbirds

Flowers, champagne, the moon, and even an elephant, it’s a colour that covers many shades and contexts, and from many blossoms of nominations, you’ll be tickled pink by the playlists perfectly arranged by guest of the week Severin

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, country, comedy, dance, disco, drone, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, metal, music, musical hall, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, pink, colours, The Sorrows, Nick Drake, Let's Eat Grandma, Louis Armstrong, Edith Piaf, Meat Puppets, Tash Sultana, Lena, Malia, Joe Liggins and the Honeydrippers, GNOD, Yanawaraba, The Ditty Bops, Red Nichols, The Wabash Dance Orchestra, Madder Rose, Reba McEntire, Lệ Thanh, Nicki Parrott, Prince, XTC, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bruce Springsteen, The National, Tori Amos, Rickie Lee Jones, Procol Harum, Good Shoes, Earl Bosic, severin, Severin
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Playlists: songs about taxation and wealth distribution

October 4, 2022 Peter Kimpton

Who gets the crown? Hint: the bird is the word …

Feeling taxed? Get some relief here. Blues, reggae, funk, punk, post-punk and more, we’ve got a full revenue of great music in store with no duty to pay, courtesy of an excellent distribution by guest playlister Severin picked from last week’s topic

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, comedy, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, metal, music, musical hall, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, tax, poll tax, wealth, equality, economics, Prince Buster, J.B. Lenoir, The Members, Bob Dylan, Ry Cooder, Massive Attack, Saul Williams, Professor Gabriel Zucman, The Exploited, Daniel Caesar, The Fall, Los Tigres del Norte, Village Man's Store, Mighty Sparrow, Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, Sharon Jones, The Dap Kings, Rip Rig And Panic, Fred Wesley and the JBs, The JBs, Fred Wesley Jr, Gene Autry, Crap, Loose Ends, Stick In The Wheel, Duke of Iron, Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Toots and the Maytals, The Heptones, Junior Parker, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Clash, A Tribe Called Quest, Rubella Ballet, Champion Jack Dupree, Busi Mhlongo, Pink Floyd, Lonnie Donegan, Keith Moon, BJ and The Bear, severin, Severin
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Playlists: songs about swimming, bathing and showering

June 15, 2022 Peter Kimpton

Dive in …

Come on in, the music’s lovely. Inspired by all the many excellent nominations from last week’s watery topic, guest of the week Severin makes big splash with a set of playlists perfect for all the rules of the pool. Take a delicious dip

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, instrumentals, jazz, metal, music, playlists, musicals, pop, postpunk, prog, psychedelia, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, swimming, bathing, showering, Loudon Wainwright III, The Skints, Kendrick Lamar, Smoke City, Frightened Rabbit, Wakusei Abnormal, Bjork, Jon Boden, Roger Eno, Tracey Thorn, Victories At Sea, Olivia Chaney, Snarky Puppy, Shayna Steele, Laura Marling, Memphis Jug Band, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Golden Gate Quartet, Modern Studies, Maddy Prior, The Mountain Goats, The Wave Pictures, K'Naan, Sub Focus, Veda Hille, Linda Lewis, Sade, Tricot, Allo Darlin, Little Feat, Show Of Hands, Anna Calvi, Madonna, Candidate, Lemon Jelly, Oh What A Lovely War, Honolulu Mountain Daffodils, This Heat, severin, Severin
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Playlists: songs about nightingales and the song thrush family

March 29, 2022 Peter Kimpton

Beautiful hybrid: the speckled nightingale thrush (Catharus maculatus)

They must sing on, and will not stop. From the national bird of Ukraine to a whole variety of vocally dextrous thrushes, this enduring topic, coming from a huge flock of nominations last week, is given full and beautiful playlist flight by guest Severin

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, indie, instrumentals, jazz, metal, music, musical hall, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags songs, playlists, birdsong, birds, nightingale, thrush, Camille Saint-Saëns, Go_A, Maude Maggart, Irving Berlin, Lady Blackbird, Laura Veirs, Nat King Cole, Bellowhead, Johnny Osbourne, Rocco Deluca, Gilberto Gil, Laurie Lewis, Roxy Music, Julee Cruise, Sam Lee, The Beatles, Everly Brothers, Michael Jackson, Cab Calloway, Rachel Unthank, Rachel Unthank and the Winterset, Brinsley Schwarz, Dionne Warwick, Peggy Lee, In Gowan Ring, Xavier Cugat, David Rotheray, Los Mirlos, Djivan Gasparyan, Paul McCartney, Wings, Trisha Yearwood, Nina Simone, The Eagles, Norah Jones, Yona, Sinead O'Connor, Buffalo Springfield, Lambchop, Marcos Valle, Stacey Kent, Jim Tomlinson, Jackie Oates, The Whiskey Rebellion, Larissa Kovalchuk, Prefab Sprout, Juan Perro, Igor Stravinsky, Sarah Vaughan, Pauline Vallance, severin, Severin
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Playlists: songs about elephants and mammoths

November 9, 2021 Peter Kimpton

We are family …

Huge size, unusual grace and beauty to how humans behave towards them, reggae to rock, pop, folk and jazz, classical and traditional, guest Severin took on a mammoth task from all the nominations to create great playlists to trumpet about

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, classical, country, dance, disco, drone, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, indie, instrumentals, jazz, music, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, rocksteady, showtime, ska, songs, soul, soundtracks, traditional Tags playlists, songs, instrumentals, elephants, mammoths, mammals, animals, Oscar Brown Jr, Tom Tom Club, Laleh, Burning Spear, June Tabor, Art Blakey, North Atlantic Invasion Force, Osibisa, Tame Impala, A Camp, Fungas, Stackridge, Mandy Miller, Chakra Bleu, Syd Barrett, Henry Mancini, Toy Dolls, Lena, CW Peake, John Greaves, Peter Blegvad, Lisa Herman, Trilok Gurtu & The Glimpse, Prince, Leon Rosselson, MS Subbulakshmi, King Crimson, Natalie Merchant, Nilesh Moharir, Mangesh Borgaonkar, Spruhar Joshi, Vidulgoi Ooyoo, Pigeon Milk, Them Crooked Vultures, Bonnie Raitt, Was (Not Was), severin, Severin, Mammut, Kuricorder Quartet
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Playlists: songs about wolves

September 21, 2021 Peter Kimpton
We are family …

We are family …

They’ve roamed the globe, howling out for attention. But which survived? Norway to Sweden to Italy, north America and beyond, two packs of superb songs circling many genres are picked by guest playlister Severin from a wonderful wilderness of nominations

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Playlists: songs about tigers

April 20, 2021 Peter Kimpton
Now they all come together …

Now they all come together …

They’re big, and fierce, and beautiful; unpredictable, wild and exhilarating. And that’s not just those big, stripy cats. We’re also talking about this amazing ambush of playlists, picked from a wild jungle of brilliant suggestions by guest Severin

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In African, avant-garde, blues, calypso, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, indie, instrumentals, jazz, hip hop, music, musical hall, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, showtime, rocksteady, ska, songs, soul Tags songs, playlists, tigers, animals, animal behaviour, Mud, Villagers, Ricochets, The Beatles, Hollie Cook, The Chameleons, Louis Armstrong, Gordon Haskell, Hazelnut Chocolate, Aniceto Molina, NoName, Rufus Thomas Jr, Gal Costa, Jah Wobble, William Blake, Husky Rescue, Lulu, Linval Thompson, Ohia, Her Space Holiday, Jackie Mittoo, Survivor, Y&T, Joni Mitchell, Muddy Waters, Beck, Carlos Santana, Vainica Doble, Phyllis Hyman, The Boo Radleys, Peaking Lights, Fox, The Aggrovators, Jelly Roll Morton, Brian Eno, severin, Songs: Ohia, Severin
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Playlists: songs about masks

September 23, 2020 Peter Kimpton
A signature cover version

A signature cover version

Whether current or the historic, for survival or entertainment, metaphorical, literal, medical, protective, theatrical, comical or disguise, inspired a sea of masks in last week’s topic, guest playlister severin has got it totally covered

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Playlists: songs with non sequiturs

June 24, 2020 Peter Kimpton
Sparks are eating apparently nothing to do with what their song is about …

Sparks are eating apparently nothing to do with what their song is about …

From the witty to the weird, the irreverent to the irrelevant, the poetic to the potty, after a huge outpouring of nominations, guest playlister severin serves up a superb menu of cutting-edge and classic musical conundrums

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In blues, comedy, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, gospel, hip hop, indie, music, jazz, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, songs, soul, traditional Tags songs, playlists, non sequiturs, Wanda Jackson, Barenaked Ladies, Sparks, Homeboy Sandman, The Beatles, Beth Orton, Aldous Harding, Bob Dylan, The Go-Betweens, Shriekback, Captain Beefheart, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Nick Cave, Chambers Brothers, Velvet Underground, Half Man Half Biscuit, Glenn Yarborough, Hombres, The Wind In The Willows, The Marvelettes, The Soft Machine, Cream, Guided By Voices, REM, Luke Westaway, Nirvana, David Bowie, Robyn Hitchcock, Memphis Jug Band, Skids, Sex Pistols, Santosh Narayanan, ABC, Wire, Suburban Lawns, The Sleepy Jackson, Talking Heads, Massive Attack, T Rex, The Flaming Lips, Stevie Wonder, Echo and the Bunnymen, Simple Minds, Brian Eno, Willie Colon, Jah Wobble, The Flys, Severin, severin
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Playlists: songs about collecting, cataloguing and listing

September 18, 2019 Peter Kimpton
Cat-alogue of course …

Cat-alogue of course …

1) Why do them? 2) What are they for? 3) Are they positive or negative? 4) How do they appear in song? This set of questions and more are creatively catalogued and crafted into playlists by this week’s skilful guest Severin from the recent topic

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In avant-garde, blues, country, disco, dance, dub, electronica, experimental, folk, funk, hip hop, indie, jazz, music, musicals, playlists, pop, postpunk, punk, prog, reggae, rock, songs, soul, traditional Tags songs, catalogues, lists, playlists, Nine Inch Nails, Sarah Vaughan, Johnny Winter, Nina Nastasia, Yapoos, Wilson Pickett, Marisa Monte, Saul Williams, Tracy Chapman, Husker Du, Mark Knopfler, The Legendary Pink Dots, Leonard Cohen, Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, The Monkees, The Fall, Sparky, Christina Perry, The Go-Go's, Jeffrey Lewis, Joaquin Sabina, Talking Heads, Cate Le Bon, Kate Bush, Stephen Fry, Bryan Ferry, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Rolling Stones, Art Pepper, Milcho Leviev Quartet, Honolulu Mountain Daffodils, Severin, severin
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Playlists: songs about compromise

June 19, 2019 Peter Kimpton
Dennis Brown … halfway up, halfway down

Dennis Brown … halfway up, halfway down

Love, relationships, work, politics. There are all sorts of compromises in life, but this this week everyone’s a winner, at least those who suggested or performed this brilliantly balanced set of songs chosen by our guest playlister severin

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In blues, country, dance, disco, electronica, dub, experimental, folk, gospel, indie, jazz, metal, music, playlists, pop, prog, rock, songs, soul Tags songs, playlists, compromise, politics, relationships, Bjork, Bugge Wesseltoft, Sidsel Endresen, Jackson Browne, Michael Franti, Spearhead, Joni Mitchell, Marvin Gaye, Dennis Brown, Swarathma, Shubha Mudgal, Alabama Shakes, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Tracy Chapman, The Beatles, Lily Bryant, The Pioneers, Wilson Pickett, Richard Thompson, Hodges James and Smith, Rosalia, United Bottles, The Isley Brothers, Ben L’Oncle Soul, Frank Sinatra, Echo and the Bunnymen, Adrian Borland, Severin, severin
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Playlists: songs about secret admirers

February 20, 2019 Peter Kimpton
Roxy Music – everyone gets their moment

Roxy Music – everyone gets their moment

Covert crushes, hopeless longing or sinister obsession? All this and more with two lists of brilliance and passion from the Temptations to Divine Comedy and beyond, skilfully picked by this week’s guest Severin from last week’s topic

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In blues, comedy, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, folk, gospel, hip hop, indie, jazz, metal, music, musical hall, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, ska, songs, soul Tags songs, playlists, St Valentine's Day, relationships, secrets, The Chiffons, The Temptations, The Mekons, Cecilia, The Gaylads, Patti Labelle, Roxy Music, Tammi Terrell, Todd Rundgren, Noel Coward, Skunk Anansie, The Divine Comedy, Van Der Graaf Generator, Alison Krauss, George Robeson, The Beatles, The Lurkers, Elvis Presley, Brenda Holloway, The Platters, Warren Zevon, The Box Ticked, Doris Day, The Mystery Jets, Cocoa Tea, Londonbeat, Taylor Swift, God Help The Girl, The Sundays, Jorge Ben Jor, Kat Edmonson, Love Unlimited, Van Morrison, Freddy King, Katzenjammer, Severin, Paul Robeson, severin
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Playlists: songs about brevity

September 5, 2018 Peter Kimpton
Not much time? Ari Up! The Slits

Not much time? Ari Up! The Slits

It only takes a minute (or a second) to click on this link, but once you do, your brief encounter with these pithy, witty playlists by guest picker Severin will make you linger on lyrical gems about love’s fast passing and much more

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In blues, country, dance, disco, dub, electronica, folk, gospel, hip hop, indie, jazz, music, playlists, pop, postpunk, prog, punk, reggae, rock, songs, soul Tags Songs, playlists, brevity, The Jam, Paul Weller, Connie Converse, The Slits, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Nick Cave, So Solid Crew, Nico, Doris Troy, Say Sue Me, Natacha Atlas, Tavares, Maddy Prior and the Girls, High Contrast, The Unthanks, Major Lance, Warlock, Fleetwood Mac, The Easybeats, Jazmine Sullivan, The Stranglers, The Zombies, The Cure, Madonna, Justin Timberlake, Timbaland, Whitey, Eddi Reader, Inner Life, Jocelyn Brown, Pink Floyd, Kuricorder Quartet, Severin, severin
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New Albums …

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Lucinda Williams: World's Gone Wrong
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New album: The acclaimed veteran country, rock and Americana singer-songwriter and multi-Grammy winner’s latest LP has a title that speaks for itself, but is powerful, angry, defiant and uplifting, and, recorded in Nashville, features guest vocals from Norah Jones, Mavis Staples and Brittney Spencer

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New album: His moniker mischievously named after a wrestling move, a highly impressive, independently-created experimental, psychedelic rock debut the the Toronto-based multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Adam LaFramboise

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Jan 27, 2026
Dead Dads Club: Dead Dads Club
Jan 27, 2026

New album: Dynamic, passionate, heart-stirring indie rock in this project fronted by Chilli Jesson (formerly bassist of Palma Violets) with songs spurred by the trauma of losing his father 20 years ago, retelling a defiant and difficult aftermath, with sound boosted by producer Carlos O’Connell of Fontaines D.C.

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The Paper Kites: If You Go There, I Hope You Find It
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New album: Warm, tender, gently-paced, calmly reflective, beautifully soothing, poetic, melancholic alternative folk and Americana by the band from Melbourne in their seventh LP in 15 years

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Jan 24, 2026
PVA: No More Like This
Jan 24, 2026

New album: Inventive, alluring, sensual, mysterious, minimalistic electronica, trip-hop and experimental pop by the London trio of Ella Harris, Joshua Baxter and Louis Satchell, in this second album following 2022’s Blush, boosted by the creativity of producer and instrumentalist Kwake Bass

Jan 24, 2026
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Jan 20, 2026
Imarhan: Essam
Jan 20, 2026

New album: A mesmeric fourth LP in a decade by the band from Tamanrasset, Algeria, whose name means ‘the ones I care about’, their Tuareg music mixing guitar riffs, pop melodies and African rhythms, but this time also evolves slightly away from the desert blues rocky, bluesy influence of contemporaries Tinariwen with electronic elements

Jan 20, 2026
Courtney Marie Andrews - Valentine.jpeg
Jan 20, 2026
Courtney Marie Andrews: Valentine
Jan 20, 2026

New album: Emotional, beautiful, stirring, Americana, folk and indie-pop by singer-songwriter from Phoenix, Arizona, in this latest studio LP in of soaring voice, strong melodies, love, vulnerability and heartbreak, longing and bravery

Jan 20, 2026
Julianna Barwick & Mary Lattimore - Tragic Magic.jpeg
Jan 18, 2026
Julianna Barwick & Mary Lattimore: Tragic Magic
Jan 18, 2026

New album: Delicate, beautiful, ethereal, meditative new work by the two American experimental composers in their first collaborative LP, with gentle understated vocals, classic synth sounds, and rare harps chosen from from the Paris Musée de la Musique Collection

Jan 18, 2026
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Jan 16, 2026
Sleaford Mods: The Demise of Planet X
Jan 16, 2026

New album: The caustic wit of Nottingham’s Jason Williamson and Andrew Fearn return with a 13th LP of brilliantly abrasive, dark humoured hip-hop and catchy beats, addressing the rubbish state of the world, as well as local, personal and social irritations through slick nostalgic cultural reference, some expanded sounds, and an eclectic set of guests

Jan 16, 2026
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Jan 14, 2026
SAULT: Chapter 1
Jan 14, 2026

New album: As ever, released suddenly without fanfare or any publicity, the prolific experimental soul, jazz, gospel, funk, psychedelia and disco collective of Cleo Sol, Info (aka Dean Josiah Cover) and co return with a stylish, mysterious LP

Jan 14, 2026
The Cribs - Selling A Vibe.jpeg
Jan 14, 2026
The Cribs: Selling A Vibe
Jan 14, 2026

New album: A first LP in five years by the likeable and solid guitar indie-rock Jarman brothers trio from Wakefield, now with their ninth - a catchy, but at times with rueful, bittersweet perspectives on their times in the music business

Jan 14, 2026
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Jan 9, 2026
Dry Cleaning: Secret Love
Jan 9, 2026

New album: This third LP by the London experimental post-punk quartet with the distinctive, spoken, droll delivery of Florence Shaw, is packed with striking, vivid, often non seqitur lyrics capturing life’s surreal mundanities and neuroses with a sound coloured and polished by Cate Le Bon as producer

Jan 9, 2026
Various - Icelock Continuum.jpeg
Dec 31, 2025
Various Artists: ICELOCK CONTINUUM
Dec 31, 2025

New album: An inspiring, evocative, sensual and sonically tactile experimental compilation from the fabulously named underground French label Camembert Électrique, with range of international electronic artists capturing cold winter weather’s many textures - cracking, delicate crunchy ice, snow, electric fog, and frost in many fierce and fragile forms across 98 adventurous tracks

Dec 31, 2025
Favourite Albums of 2025 - Part 3.jpeg
Dec 18, 2025
Favourite albums of 2025 - Part Three
Dec 18, 2025

Welcome to the third and final part of Song Bar favourite albums of 2025. There is also Part One, and Part Two. There is no countdown nor describing these necessarily as “best” albums of the year, but they are chosen by their quality, originality and reader popularity

Dec 18, 2025

new songs …

Featured
Nathan Fake.jpeg
Jan 28, 2026
Song of the Day: Nathan Fake - Slow Yamaha
Jan 28, 2026

Song of the Day: Hypnotic electronica with woozy layers of smooth resonance and a lattice of shifting analogue patterns by the British artist from Norfolk, taken from his forthcoming album, Evaporator, out on InFiné Music

Jan 28, 2026
Charlotte Day Wilson - Lean.jpeg
Jan 27, 2026
Song of the Day: Charlotte Day Wilson - Lean (featuring Saya Gray)
Jan 27, 2026

Song of the Day: Stylish, striking, sensual experimental electro-pop and R&B in this fabulous collaboration between the two Canadian singer/ multi-instrumentalist from Toronto, out on Stone Woman Music/ XL Recordings

Jan 27, 2026
Lime Garden - 23.jpeg
Jan 26, 2026
Song of the Day: Lime Garden - 23
Jan 26, 2026

Song of the Day: Wonderfully catchy, witty, quirky indie pop about age and adjustment by the Brighton-formed quartet fronted by Chloe Howard, heralding their upcoming album Maybe Not Tonight, out on So Young Records on 10 April

Jan 26, 2026
Madra Salach - It's A Hell Of An Age - EP.jpeg
Jan 25, 2026
Song of the Day: Madra Salach - The Man Who Seeks Pleasure
Jan 25, 2026

Song of the Day: A powerful, slow-simmering and gradually intensifying, drone-based original folk number about the the flipsides of love and hedonism by the young Irish traditional and alternative folk band, with comparisons to Lankum, from the recently released EP It's a Hell of an Age, out on Canvas Music

Jan 25, 2026
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Jan 24, 2026
Song of the Day: Adult DVD - Real Tree Lee
Jan 24, 2026

Song of the Day: Catchy, witty, energised acid-dance-punk with echoes of Underworld and Snapped Ankles by the dynamic, innovative band from Leeds in a new number about a dodgy character of toxic masculinity and online ignorance, and their first release on signing to Fat Possum

Jan 24, 2026
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Jan 23, 2026
Song of the Day: Arctic Monkeys - Opening Night (for War Child HELP 2 charity album)
Jan 23, 2026

Song of the Day: A simmering, potent, contemplative new track by acclaimed Sheffield band, their first song since 2022’s album The Car, with proceeds benefiting the charity War Child, heralding the upcoming HELP (2) compilation out on 6 March with various contributors

Jan 23, 2026
White Denim - Lock and Key.jpg
Jan 22, 2026
Song of the Day: White Denim - (God Created) Lock and Key
Jan 22, 2026

Song of the Day: The Austin, Texas-formed LA-based rockers return with an infectiously catchy groove fusing rock, funk, dub, soul, and down-dirty blues with some playful self-mythologising and darker themes, heralding 13th album, 13, out on 24 April via Bella Union

Jan 22, 2026
Holy Fuck band.jpeg
Jan 21, 2026
Song of the Day: Holy Fuck - Evie
Jan 21, 2026

Song of the Day: The Canadian experimental indie rock and electronica quartet from Toronto return with a pulsating new track of thrumming bass and shimmering keyboards, heralding their forthcoming new album Event Beat, out on 27 March via Satellite Services

Jan 21, 2026
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Jan 20, 2026
Song of the Day: KAVARI - IRON VEINS
Jan 20, 2026

Song of the Day: Exciting, cutting-edge electronica and hardcore dance music by innovative the Birkenhead-born, Glasgow-based artist Cameron Winters (she), with a stylish, striking video, heralding the forthcoming EP, PLAGUE MUSIC, out digitally and on 12-inch vinyl on 6 February via XL Recordings

Jan 20, 2026
Asap Rocky - Punk Rocky.png
Jan 19, 2026
Song of the Day: A$AP Rocky - Punk Rocky
Jan 19, 2026

Song of the Day: The standout catchy hip-pop/soul/pop track from the New York rapper aka Rakim Athelston Mayers’ (also the husband of Rihanna) recently released album, Don’t Be Dumb, featuring also the voice of Cristoforo Donadi, and out on A$AP Rocky Recordings

Jan 19, 2026
Buck Meek - The Mirror.jpeg
Jan 18, 2026
Song of the Day: Buck Meek - Gasoline
Jan 18, 2026

Song of the Day: The Texas-born Big Thief guitarist returns with an beautifully stirring, evocative, poetic love-enthralled indie-folk single of free association made-up words and quantum leap feelings, rolling drums and strums, heralding his upcoming fourth solo album, The Mirror, out on 27 February via 4AD

Jan 18, 2026
Alexis Taylor - Paris In The Spring.jpeg
Jan 17, 2026
Song of the Day: Alexis Taylor - Out Of Phase (featuring Lola Kirke)
Jan 17, 2026

Song of the Day: A crisp, catchy fusion of synth-pop, cosmic country and some NYC-garage odyssey with references to two films by David Lynch from the Hot Chip frontman, heralding his upcoming sixth solo album, Paris In The Spring, out on 13 March via Night Time Stories

Jan 17, 2026

Word of the week

Featured
Zumbador dorado - mango bumblebee Puerto Rico.jpeg
Jan 22, 2026
Word of the week: zumbador
Jan 22, 2026

Word of the week: A wonderfully evocative noun from the Spanish for word buzz, and meaning both a South American hummingbird, a door buzzer, and symbolic of resurrection of the soul in ancient Mexican culture, while also serving as the logo for a tequila brand

Jan 22, 2026
Hamlet ad - Gregor Fisher.jpg
Jan 8, 2026
Word of the week: aspectabund
Jan 8, 2026

Word of the week: This rare adjective describes a highly expressive face or countenance, where emotions and reactions are readily shown through the eyes or mouth

Jan 8, 2026
Kaufmann Trumpeter 1950.jpeg
Dec 24, 2025
Word of the week: bellonion (or belloneon)
Dec 24, 2025

Word of the week: It sounds like a bulbous, multi-layered peeling vegetable, but this obscure mechanical musical instrument invented in 1812 in Dresden consisted of 24 trumpets and two kettle drums and, designed to mimic the sound of a marching band, might also make your eyes water

Dec 24, 2025
Hangover.jpeg
Dec 4, 2025
Word of the week: crapulence
Dec 4, 2025

Word of the week: A term that may apply regularly during Xmas party season, from the from the Latin crapula, in turn from the Greek kraipálē meaning "drunkenness" or "headache" pertains to sickness symptoms caused by excess in eating or drinking, or general intemperance and overindulgence

Dec 4, 2025
Running shoes and barefoot.jpeg
Nov 20, 2025
Word of the week: discalceate
Nov 20, 2025

Word of the week: A rarely used, but often practised verb, especially when arriving home, it means to take off your shoes, but is also a slightly more common adjective meaning barefoot or unshod, particularly for certain religious orders that wear sandals instead of shoes. But in what context does this come up in song?

Nov 20, 2025
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